Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with baker’s spray and line with a piece of parchment round at the bottom of each pan. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, sour cream, canola oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until all the ingredients are fully combined.

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.

Add the hot water and instant coffee granules to a small bowl and stir to combine until all the granules are dissolved.

Add half the flour mixture to the bowl of wet ingredients, and beat just until all the flour is incorporated. Add the coffee mixture and beat again just until it is fully incorporated, followed by the remaining flour mixture. Beat for 1-2 minutes or until all the ingredients are fully combined, and the batter is smooth.

Transfer the chocolate cake batter evenly between the 2 (9-inch) prepared round cake pans.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. You will need to remove the parchment paper round from the bottom of each cake before frosting the cake.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the butter and whisk on medium-high speed until the butter is smooth and fluffy.

Add the sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder to the bowl and mix until fully combined. This will be a thick, smooth mixture. Be sure to start your mixer at a low speed and gradually increase the speed to avoid getting powdered sugar all over your counter.

While your mixer is running, slowly add the heavy cream and vanilla extract and whisk until fully combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl and whisk again, on medium-high speed, for an additional 2-3 minutes or until your fudge frosting is light, fluffy, and smooth. Your frosting should be thick enough to hold its shape but easy to spread onto your cake when frosting it.

Add one cooled cake layer to a serving plate or cake stand. If your cake is slightly domed from baking, you can use a large serrated knife to carefully remove the domed portion to give you a flat, even cake layer. Add approximately ⅓ of the fudge frosting to the top of the first cake layer and spread evenly from edge to edge with an offset spatula. Add the second cake layer (trim the domed portion of the cake if needed) to the first cake layer and add the remaining fudge frosting to the top and sides of the cake. Be sure that your frosting is evenly spread over the top and sides of your cake before slicing and serving.